


Penance

by moetz



Category: The Old Guard (Comics), The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Booker | Sebastien le Livre is Part of the Team, Found Family, Gen, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Platonic Cuddling, Quynh is there as well, Team as Family, because she deserves it, men being soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:08:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27440215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moetz/pseuds/moetz
Summary: „Thank fuck“, Andy was the first to break the silence that decended when they found the two grown ass men crammed onto the small couch in the latest safe house, figuratively dead to the world „they got over it“.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache & Booker | Sebastien & Nile Freeman & Joe | Yusuf & Nicky | Nicolò & Quynh, Booker | Sebastien le Livre & Nicky | Nicolo di Genova, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 7
Kudos: 139





	Penance

**Author's Note:**

> My first fic for TOG and idk why it's so Nicky centric when he is actually the character I *get* the least u know.

„Thank fuck“, Andy was the first to break the silence that decended when they found the two grown ass men crammed onto the small couch in the latest safe house, figuratively dead to the world „they got over it“. She toes of her shoes and drops them near the shoe rack, dried mud cracking off and speckle the floor.

Nile wrinkles her nose at the mud and the bad habit they haven‘t managed to make Andy break, as she fights her own shoe laces. She shoots a side-eyed look at Joe who usually is the loudest complainer, half expecting him to get the vacuum and clean passiv-aggressivly.

But Joe just grins and holds a hand out wiggling his fingers and eyebrows at her. Andy groans silently but oblieges and rummages in her pockets to pull out a wad of cash which she smacks into his hand „Don’t brag, it doesn’t look good on you“.

Nile had become used to the easiness that her family had around physical affection in her 40 years as an immortal; Hugs, kisses and cuddles were freely given and received, sharing beds was not unusual, huddling for warmth necessary in some of the safe houses (or Andys caves). It’s normal to her by now. So it was puzzling to her why Andy and Joe stopped in their track to watch Nicky and Booker sleeping with soft looks on their faces.

A shared a look with Quynh proves that she is just as lost as Nile herself is. Nile innerly sighed, so not a newby thing then, and she uses the opportunity of having already established eye contact to share a meaningful look and an eyeroll with Quynh at their family’s antics.

Quynh winked as she dropped her shoes next to Andys and follows Joe and Andy further into the room

„You know you love me, boss“ Joe counted the money out loud obnoxiously when he caught Niles confused glance. „They used to do this all the time back before...“, he jerked his head in a grimacing _you know_ gesture „Neither of them is good at sleeping so they crashed together for naps“ he shrugged and watched his husband and his brother with the look of pure love on his face that was so familiar, so often visible, that Nile had become used to it within the first few days of immortality. “S’good to see it again“.

Nicky had taken the betrayal the worst. Had pushed for the longest sentence. Wanted penance.

Joe had once admitted, hidden behind easel, paint spattered across his clothes and skin, that he is shit at holding grudges. The strokes of his brush were loud against the canvas. Louder and harder then they were when they talked about artists of days gone by. Nile chanced a look above her own easel. For all his words his anger was still visible on his face in his voice and in the way his body moved. His whole body screaming hurt at the betrayal projecting it out for the world to see. Still capable of feeling so much even after 900 years.

He said he needed the distance from Booker because he would have forgiven him, his brother, his best friend, after a fortnight if things had continued normally.  
But Nicky? Here he had smiled.  
Nicky holds grudges like no ones business.

But even Nicky had caved after 20 years of the exile. Anger worn down by time, bis own kindness and the assurance from the others that Booker was trying. Trying to better himself, working on himself and improve his mental health.  
But ultimately he just missed his brother.

But while Booker was welcomed back with open arms from everyone, Nicky had kept him at an arms length. Booker, still trying to find his way back into the fold, had respected it and kept distance himself. Affection of any kind between them had been a recent development.

„Just because I have forgiven does not mean I have forgotten“ Nicky had told her silently while saving a few of her knit stitches. The team was crashing in a small cabin, a hut really, after their first mission as six. The mission itself went fine. Good even. Andy had choosen an easy mission, an easy get in, get information, get out. But it was clear that it would take time for everything to fall into place.

Quynh had snorted, if at the comment or at Niles disastrous attempts at knitting —her own scarf longer than scarf had any right to be, just to brag— Nile wasn’t sure. „Ok maybe I haven’t even forgiven him yet“ Nicky then had added and smiled when Nile laughed as she took over the knitting again, wrangling the wool.  
Joe kissed his head when he walked past to go help in the kitchen and winked at Nile.

So thinking back Nile understands how significant the sight before her is, the sign of trust unmistakeable, and warmth floods her.  
Glad for Nicky, for having such a big heart and overcoming his rightful anger.  
Glad for Booker for getting this chance.  
Glad to finally have the family all together.

Joe, apparently satisfied with the money he won settles into the armchair and pulls out a sketchbook (‘to capture the moment, Nile’)and starts egging on Quynh, who proves her jealousy-inducing-lightfoodedness by trying to squeeze herself into the nonexistant gap between Nicky and Booker, who both stir and make whiny noises that are way to cute for men of their size and age but don’t wake up and seem comfortable to include Quynh into their cuddle pile where she is, lying on top of them.

„Coffee?“ Nile grins and Andy nods, unwrapping 3 metres of scarf from around her neck an besotted look on her face as she watches her wife and little brothers.

Nile trots into the kitchen, smiling as she listens to the soft noises of hushed conversation, scratches of charcoal on paper and soft snoring from the next room. While the loss of her mother and brother still hurts, hurts so much that she feels like it’s ripping her apart sometimes, she wouldn’t trade her new family for anything.

She starts the electric kettle and measures out the ground beans into the coffee dripper taking comfort in the familiar scent and action.

Nile lifts the kettle feeling at peace in this family that she found for herself only to almost burn her entire hand the unmistakable sound of a human body hitting the floor, accompanied by muffled curses and loud laughter.  
Not for anything.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading hope you enjoyed!


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